B2B Sales Guide: 5 Tips for Mastering B2B Sales

B2B sales is an abbreviation for business-to-business sales. B2B sales professionals target both small businesses and large corporations in their lead generation and sales funnel processes. Because they target business employees and stakeholders as opposed to consumers, B2B salespeople must employ customized strategies that respect a company's decision-making and buying processes. The B2B sales process stands in contrast to the business-to-consumer sales process wherein salespeople target retail consumers as potential customers.

B2B companies offer a wide array of goods and services to their business clients. The offerings a B2B sales team might offer to its clients include:

• Professional services: The B2B sales pipeline regularly involves services such as insurance, market research, corporate consulting, accounting, and real estate management.
• Raw goods: In the manufacturing sector, B2B selling might involve raw materials like lumber, metal, and cement.
• Digital software: Many B2B buyers source CRM and content management software from third parties, rather than developing them in-house.
• Products for a company's employees: Many businesses need products and services to handle the needs of their own employees. Offering commercial real estate, catering, and rental equipment may be part of a B2B sales strategy.

To ensure success, a B2B sales force must understand the specific needs of a corporate client—which are not the same as those of an individual customer. Here are some B2B sales techniques to help convert qualified leads into actual sales.

1. 1. Connect with decision-makers. A successful B2B sales rep forms relationships with managers at their clients' companies. That's because those managers tend to be the people who make purchasing decisions. Sales and marketing teams can't waste their time prospecting on employees who have no purchasing power, so find a way to speak to managers who actually make buying decisions.
2. 2. Prepare for cold calling. While many marketers dread cold calling, this form of outreach is a key part of sales enablement. Businesses that truly need the goods and services you are offering may respond well to a marketing call. Mentally prepare to cold call strangers, and follow up as needed. It's the bold marketers who end up closing deals.
3. 3. Practice your sales pitch. One of the most effective sales tools a marketer has in their arsenal is a clear, concise sales pitch. Rehearse your sales pitch many times before you start calling potential customers.
4. 4. Know your potential client. The best B2B sales reps take time to research their potential clients. They understand prospect’s pain points as well as a price point that might work for them. This lets them enter a sales relationship with potential solutions that feel customized to the business customer.
5. 5. Prepare for longer sales cycles. The typical B2B sales cycle is not the same as a business-to-consumer sales cycle. Businesses typically require far more internal touchpoints in their decision-making process. Other companies only make purchasing decisions at specific points in their fiscal year. Be patient and respect your client's custom needs.

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